


Haul Out the Holly

by greggodna (perrosguirec)



Series: The 12 Prompts of Christmas 2020 [5]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28198776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perrosguirec/pseuds/greggodna
Summary: The 12 Days of Christmas Prompts, #5: Holiday DecorationsNick is disappointed that he won't make it home to Texas for the holidays. Greg tries to spread some Christmas cheer.
Relationships: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Series: The 12 Prompts of Christmas 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056686
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Haul Out the Holly

Greg sat on the couch with his feet in Nick’s lap while he read through one of his scientific journals. He was twirling a highlighter in one hand and idly clicking a pen in the other. Nick was watching a football game and muttering under his breath. Every so often, he would squeeze one of Greg’s ankles, which indicated that his team was about to score. Greg would look up and cheer along with Nick, his heart stuttering at the joyous triumph on Nick’s face.

During halftime, Nick got up for snacks. “You want anything from the kitchen?”

Greg shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Anything interesting in there? You’ve been highlighting a lot.”

Greg finally pulled his eyes from the journal. “Yeah, actually. There’s this new piece of equipment that could really help speed up my work in the lab. Plus, it would make my results more reliable. The director would like that… I mean, I am pretty accurate myself, but still…” He continued his rant about the pros of the machine before he realized that he was losing Nick in the details of DNA analysis.“Anyway, I think it would be nice to have.”

Nick laughed. “Well, what do you have to do to get one?”

“Lots of writing and begging,” Greg whined.

“If you think it’s worth it, maybe you should.”

“Hmm… maybe I will.”

The phone rang and Nick went to answer it. Greg went back to his journal, scribbling arguments in the margins and starring the most compelling features of the machine. He became distracted by Nick, however. His accent had suddenly become thicker and Greg could tell he was on the phone with his mother.

“I know, I’m sorry. Maybe next year. Yes… you know I’ll miss you guys… Yeah, I want you to meet him, too… Alright, love you, too.”

Nick came back into the living room and slumped onto the couch. “My mom is very upset that I won’t be coming home for Christmas this year.”

“I can tell you’re just as upset,” Greg said, sliding closer to him.

Nick sighed. “Yeah. Usually, I get to see them for Thanksgiving or Christmas but this year I just couldn’t get the time off. I really miss them and all the holiday traditions. My mom goes all out with decorations and stuff.”

Greg smiled sympathetically and leaned close to press a kiss to Nick’s cheek. “Well, I can’t get you to your family this year, but we can definitely decorate for the holiday. We’ll go all out like your mom. Not one nook or cranny of this place will be un-Christmassy.”

Nick laughed and laid his head on Greg’s shoulder. “Promise?”

~*~

“Ugh, Thanksgiving just ended and you’re already decorating for Christmas?” Sara grumbled as she dropped off some samples.

“Aw, don’t be such a Scrooge! I love the holiday season.”

“Bah Humbug,” she said and left.

Greg laughed and spun around in his chair, admiring his handiwork. After he and Nick had spent the weekend shopping for decorations, Greg had made good on his promise to decorate the whole house. They bought so many that they couldn’t make use of them all so Greg decided to bring the extras to work as a surprise. He’d gotten to the lab early so he could decorate every inch of his lab. The day shift guy wasn’t thrilled but he seemed too tired to argue. He’d even held a chair steady so Greg could hang paper snowflakes from the ceiling. Now he was waiting for Nick to stop by so he could see his reaction. But he’d been assigned a case even before getting to the lab and Greg wasn’t sure when he’d be in.

While he was running tests for Sara, Catherine came in and asked if he wanted to assist her on another case.

“Really?” he asked, trying and failing to contain his excitement.

Catherine smiled. “Well, you were a pretty good partner on the last case. Plus, you have more to learn.”

“Thanks, Catherine.”

“Sure. Just one thing,” she said, eyeing the decorations.

“Yeah?”

“No Christmas music. Lindsey’s been playing it non-stop since Thanksgiving and I just can’t handle it at work, too.”

Greg laughed. “Okay, deal.”

~*~

Greg spent the rest of his shift in and out of his lab trying to juggle his case with Catherine and getting everyone else’s evidence processed. He ended up missing Nick on multiple occasions, the only proof he’d visited the DNA lab was his evidence baggies. Greg was disappointed that he’d missed Nick’s reaction to the decorations but was still hoping to catch him before his shift was over.

He was on his way to the break room for a snack but he stopped short of entering the room when he overheard Warrick and Sara talking.

“I enjoying working with him but don’t you think those Christmas decorations are a little too much?”

“What’s got you in such a mood, Sara? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?”

“Come on, you’re telling me you don’t find it even a little obnoxious?”

“I don’t care what he does to his lab. He’s the one stuck in it all day. Besides, some people don’t really mind.”

“Like you?”

“Well, I could do without it. But other people, like Nick, seem to get a kick out of it. He looked like a little kid when we dropped off our evidence. I thought I was going to have to drag him out.”

Greg smiled and backed away from the break room. He wasn’t hurt by Sara’s comments, he knew she could be a little grumpy about things and he figured Christmas just wasn’t her favorite time of year. He was a little surprised at Warrick’s defense of him, however. He didn’t think Warrick hated him but he’d never gotten the impression that he particularly liked him. He retreated back to his lab, hoping Nick would come along soon.

~*~

Greg cracked a few eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork. He was just heating up a pan when Nick walked in the door.

“Please tell me you’re making breakfast.”

Greg held up a spatula. “Scrambled eggs.”

“Mmmh, thank you,” Nick said as he hugged Greg from behind. He turned his face into the crook of Greg’s neck and sighed.

Greg laid his free hand on top of one of Nick’s hands around his waist. “I was worried you were going to have to pull a double.”

“If I wasn’t maxed out on overtime I would’ve had to. Warrick snagged someone from day shift to chase down a lead. He really wants to just close this one as soon as possible.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

“I think it's a pretty open and shut case. Plus, I’m too tired to care at this point.”

Greg snorted softly. “Well, eggs are almost done. Go sit down.”

Nick kissed him softly on the neck. “Thank you. And thank you for the decorations at the lab. I loved them.”

Greg laughed. “You’re the only one, then. But that’s fine. They were for you, anyway.”

Nick smiled. “Yeah, I heard about some of the complaints. You didn’t have to if you didn’t want to.”

“Of course I wanted to. We’re making our own holiday traditions this year and I think decorating the house _and_ the lab is a great one,” he said as he set a plate down in front of Nick.

Nick caught his hand and squeezed it softly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm falling behind in my daily posting. But there will be 12 stories by Christmas so... stick with me.
> 
> come find me on Tumblr @greggodna


End file.
